The Swiss family Robinson
accoutrements across the ass’s back, and returned to the kitchen; our
slothful Ernest highly delighted that we were likely in future to
have our loads carried by a servant.
In the meanwhile, the kind mother had prepared the omelette, and
spread a tablecloth on the end of the cask of butter, upon which
she had placed some of the plates and silver spoons we had brought
from the ship. The ham was in the middle, and the omelette and the
cheese opposite to each other; and altogether made a figure not
to be despised by the inhabitants of a desert island. By and by
the two dogs, the fowls, the pigeons, the sheep, and the goats had
all assembled round us, which gave us something like the air of
sovereigns of the country.
When we had finished our repast, I bade Fritz present our company
with a bottle of Canary wine, which we had brought from the captain’s
cabin, and I desired my wife to indulge us with the promised history.
CHAPTER VII
Second Journey of Discovery Performed by the
Mother of the Family
“You pretend,” said my wife, with a little malicious smile, “to be
curious about my history, yet you have not let me speak a single word
in all this time: but the longer a torrent is pent up, the longer
it flows when once let loose. Now, then, that you are in the humour
to listen, I shall give vent to a certain little movement of vanity
which is fluttering at my heart. Not, however, to intrude too long
upon your patience, we will skip the first day of your absence, in
the course of which nothing new took place. But this morning, when I
was made happy by the sight of your signal, and had set up mine in
return, I looked about, before the boys were up, in hopes to find a
shady place where we might now and then retire from the heat of the
sun; but I found not a single tree. This made me reflect a little
seriously on our situation. It will be impossible, said I to myself,
to remain in this place with no shelter but a miserable tent, under
which the heat is even more excessive than without. Courage, then!
pursued I; my husband and my eldest son are at this moment employed
for the general good; why should not I be active and enterprising
also? why not undertake, with my youngest sons, to do something that
shall add some one comfort to our existence? I will pass over with
them to the other side of the river, and with my own eyes examine
the country respecting which my husband and Fritz have related such
wonders. I will try to find out some well shaded agreeable spot, in
which we may all be settled.
“I assembled the boys round me, and informed them of my plans for
an excursion; and you may believe I heard nothing like a dissenting
voice. They lost not a moment in preparing themselves; they examined
their arms, their game-bags, looked out the best clasp-knives, and
cheerfully undertook to carry the provision-bags; while I, for my
share, was loaded with a large flask of water and a hatchet, for
which I thought it likely we might find a use. I also took the light
gun which belongs to Ernest, and gave him in return a carbine, which
might be loaded with several balls at once. We took some refreshment,
and then sallied forth, attended by the two dogs for our escort.
We arrived at the place at which you had crossed the river, and
succeeded in passing over, though not without difficulty. After
having filled my flask with river water, we proceeded on our way till
we had reached to the top of the hill which you described to us as so
enchanting, and where I partook of the pleasure you had experienced.
“In casting my eyes over the vast extent before me, I had observed
a small wood of the most inviting aspect. I had so long sighed for
a little shade, that I resolved to bend our course towards it; for
this, however, it was necessary to go a long way through a strong
kind of grass, which reached above the heads of the little boys; an
obstacle which, on trial, we found too difficult to overcome. We
therefore resolved to walk along the river, and turn at last upon the
wood. We found traces of your footsteps, and took care to follow them
till we had come to a place which seemed to lead directly to it; but
here again we were interrupted by the height and thickness of the
grass, which nothing but the most exhausting endeavours could have
enabled us to get through.
“On a sudden we perceived a large bird rising from the thickest part
of the grass, and mounting in the air. Each of the boys prepared to
fire, but before they could be ready, the bird was out of the reach
of shot. Ernest was bitterly disappointed, and instantly exchanged
the gun for the carbine I had given him, crying, ‘What a pity! If I
had but had the lightest gun! if the bird had not got away so fast, I
would lay any wager I should have killed him.’
“‘The mischief was, no doubt, that you did not let him know
beforehand that it was your pleasure he should wait till you could be
quite ready,’ observed I, laughing.
“‘But, mother, how could I possibly suppose that the bird could fly
away in less than the twinkling of an eye? Ah, if one would but come
at this very moment!’
“‘A good sportsman, Ernest, always holds himself in readiness, this
being, as I understand, one of his great arts; but as the opportunity
is gone, let us look for the place in the grass from which he
mounted; we may judge at least of his size by the mark he will have
left there.’ The boys all scampered away to the place, when suddenly
a second bird, exactly like the first, except that he was a little
larger, rushed out with a great noise and mounted above their heads.
“The boys remained stupid with astonishment, following him with their
eyes and open mouths without speaking a word, while for my own part
I could not help laughing heartily. ‘Oh! such fine sportsmen as we
have here!’ cried I: ‘they will never let us be in want of game, I
plainly perceive.’ _Ah! if one would but come at this very moment!_”
We now minutely examined the place from which the birds had mounted,
and found a kind of large nest formed of dry plants, of clumsy
workmanship; the nest was empty, with the exception of some broken
shells of eggs. I inferred from this that their young had lately been
hatched; and observing at this moment a rustling motion among some
plants of shorter growth, at some distance from the spot on which we
stood, I concluded that the young covey were scampering away in that
direction; but as the motion soon ceased, we had no longer a guide to
conduct us to their retreat.
“We next reached a little wood. A prodigious quantity of unknown
birds were skipping and warbling on the branches of the trees,
without betraying the least alarm at our vicinity. The boys wanted
to fire on them; but this I absolutely forbade, and with the less
scruple, as the trees were of so enormous a height as to be out of
gun-shot reach. No, my dear husband, you cannot possibly form an idea
of the trees we now beheld! You must somehow have missed this wood;
or so extraordinary a sight could not have escaped your observation.
What appeared to us at a distance to be a wood was only a group of
about fourteen of them, the trunks of which seemed to be supported
in their upright position by arches on each side, these arches being
formed by the roots of the tree.
“Jack climbed with considerable trouble upon one of these arch-formed
roots, and with a pack-thread in his hand measured the actual
circumference of the tree itself. He found that it measured more
than fifteen braches.[1] I made thirty-two steps in going round one
of those giant productions at the roots; and its height from the
ground to the place where the branches begin to shoot may be about
thirty-six braches. The twigs of the tree are strong and thick;
its leaves moderately large in size, and bearing some resemblance
to the hazel tree of Europe; but I was unable to discover that it
bore any fruit. The large breadth of shade which presented itself
seemed to invite us to make this spot the place of our repose: and my
predilection for it grew so strong that I resolved to go no further,
but to enjoy its delicious coolness till it should be time to return.
I sat down in this verdant elysium with my three sons around me. We
took out our provision-bags: a charming stream, formed to increase
the coolness and beauty of the scene, flowed at our feet, and
supplied us with a fresh and salutary beverage. It occurred to me,
that if we could but contrive a kind of tent that could be fixed in
one of the trees, we might safely come and make our abode here. I had
found nothing in any other direction that suited us so well in every
respect; and I resolved to look no further. When we had shared our
dinner among us, and well rested from our fatigue, we set out on our
return, again keeping close to the river, half expecting to see along
the shore some of the pieces or other vestiges of the vessel, which
the waves might have washed up.
“As I expected, we found there pieces of timber, poles, large and
small chests, and other articles, which I knew had come from the
vessel. None of us, however, were strong enough to bring them away;
we therefore contented ourselves with dragging all we could reach to
the dry sands, beyond the reach of the waves at high water.
“We now suddenly cast our eyes on Flora, whom we perceived employed
in turning over a round substance she had found in the sands,
some pieces of which she swallowed from time to time. Ernest also
perceived her motions, and did us the favour, with his usual
composure, to pronounce just these words:--‘They are turtles’ eggs.’
We found it difficult to make Flora leave the eggs, to which she had
taken a great fancy. At length, however, we succeeded in collecting
near two dozen of them, which we secured in our provision-bags. When
we had concluded this affair, we by accident cast our eyes upon the
sea, and to our astonishment perceived a sail, which seemed to be
joyfully approaching towards the land. I knew not what to imagine;
but Ernest exclaimed that it was you and Fritz; and we soon had the
happiness of being convinced that it was indeed our well-beloved! We
ran eagerly towards the river, and soon arrived at the place of your
landing, when we had nothing further to do but to throw ourselves
into your arms!”
FOOTNOTE:
[1] The brache is equal to twenty-two inches and a half.
CHAPTER VIII
Construction of a Bridge
When my wife and I awaked the next morning, we resumed the question
of our change of abode. I observed to her that it was a matter of
difficulty, and that we might have reason to repent such a step.
“My own opinion is,” said I, “that we had better remain here, where
Providence seems to have conducted us; the place is favourable to our
personal safety, and is near the vessel, from which we may continue
to enrich ourselves: we are on all sides protected by the rocks; it
is an asylum inaccessible but by sea, or by the passage of the river,
which is not easily accomplished. Let us then have patience yet a
little longer at least, till we have got all that can be removed, or
that would be useful to us, from the ship.”
My wife replied, that the intense heat of the sands was
insupportable; that by remaining, we lost all hope of procuring
fruits of any kind, and must live on oysters, or on wild birds.
“As for the safety you boast of,” pursued she, “the rocks did not
prevent our receiving a visit from the jackals; nor is it improbable
that tigers or other animals might follow their example. Lastly,
as to the treasures we might continue to draw from the vessel, I
renounce them with all my heart. We are already in possession of